Doo Wop Back to the ’50s Neon Night Tours
If you love Wildwood and want to know more about it’s 1950’s Doo Wop architecture then you should check out the Doo Wop Back To The 50’s Neon Night Tour.
The tour takes you through-out Wildwood by bus and a knowledgeable guide, as you learn about the Wildwood architecture from the 1950’s and 1960s. The tours run Tuesdays and Thursdays and eight (8)pm during the summer only. The tour starts at the Doo Wop Experience Museum which is located at 4500 Ocean Avenue in Wildwood 08260. Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $6 for children.
For many, to say the world Doo Wop they think of the music but in Wildwood it means more then just that. In Wildwood we define Doo Wop not only in music but in buildings. According to Wildwood Crest,
“Doo Wop” is a term coined by MAC (the Mid-Atlantic Center For The Arts) in the early 1990s to describe the unique, space-age architectural style that was common in the 1950s and 1960s that incorporated modern, sweeping angles, bright colors, starbursts, boomerang shapes, plastic palm trees, and angular wall and roof styles. (It was named after a music style popular at that time, sung by groups like The Turbans and The Ink Spots.) Other parts of the country refer to the “Doo Wop” style as “Googie” or “Populuxe” architecture.”
In regards to this tour, you will be look at the architectural style of Wildwood. Of course there are many different styles of Doo Wop architectural in Wildwood. The Wildwood Crest Historical Society breaks down the different styles by explaining the top five (5) styles.
The first is the Modern/Blast Off style. This style incorporates glass walled, angular roof style that brings to mind the jet-age airports of the 1950s and 1960s. Good examples of this in wildwood motels are the Satellite and Admiral Motels.
The second is the Vroom style. This architectural movement is expressed in angular, forward-thrusting and pointed building elements. Good examples of this in Wildwood motels are Ebb Tide, Pan American and Bel Air Motels.
The third is the Tiki/Polynesian style. This style reflects the fascination with the South Pacific, incorporating plastic palm trees and tiki heads in abundance. Good examples of this in Wildwood motels are Tahiti, Waikiki, Kona Kai and Casa Bahama Motels.
The fourth is the Chinatown Revival style. This style reflects interest in exotic foreign travel, particularly the orient. A good example of this in Wildwood is the Singapore Motel).
The fifth and last is the Phony Colony style. This is a patriotic style that reflects Colonial American brick and lamppost elements. Good examples of this in Wildwood motels are the Saratoga and Carriage Stop Motels.
For more information on the Doo Wop Back To The 50’s Neon Night Tours, please call the number 609.523.1958 or jump on their website at http://www.doowopusa.org
Enjoy the tour!
Main Photo by: The Press of Atlantic City